Mechanically rotatable food server



April 7, 1959 's. LIPKA I 2, 2

MECHANICALLY ROTATABLE FOOD SERVER Filed Feb. 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 17 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN LIPKA ATTORNE Y April 7, 1959 s. LlPKA 2,

MECHANICALLY ROTATABLE FOOD SERVER I Filed Feb. 25, 1958 2"SheetsSheet 2v INVENTOR. STEPHEN LIPK IIQM F 2,880,882 Patented Apr.-7, 19592,880,882 MECHANICALLY ROTATABLE FOOD SERVER Stephen Lipka, Melbourne,Fla. Application February 25, 1958, Serial No. 717,481

4 Claims. (Cl. 211 -77) 7 .This invention relates to a food dispensingor serving device.

The device contemplates a food dispensing device ,similar in part to thewell known Lazy Susan wherein a plurality of receptacles is provided tohold articles of food and with the receptacles being divided by ribportions that have their upper surface recessed for the reception ofcylindrical articles, such as drinking receptacles or the like and withthe device being rotatable by crank means for convenience in disposingany selected receptacle or drinking container in convenient reach to anindividual.

The device further contemplates a novel form of food dispenser havingits major structural portions molded from plastic or the like in aconvenient manner and with the parts being likewise assembled quicklyand easily andv with-the device having a base portion that is adapted tobe engaged with a flat smooth surface through the medium of suction cupsto prevent shifting of the device while it is being rotated.

' Novel features of construction and operation of the device will bemore clearly apparent during the course of the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters:p Figule'4 1S a fragmentaryside elevation of a portion .of; albasemember showing a suction cup assembled nthereto,

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 55 of Figure 4 and,

' Figure -6 is a fragmentary side elevation looking at the device alongthe line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a basemember in the form of a ring, having an upstanding side wall 6 and alower inwardly directed horizontal flange 7. The wall 6 and the flange 7are braced with respect to each other by preferably integral braces 8,equidistantly spaced around the inner circumference of the base 5 andwhereby to form a relatively rigid supporting member. The side wall 6 isprovided around its upper circumferential edge with a plurality ofequidistantly spaced lugs 9, that constitutes the bearing surface forthe food supporting member to be described. The flange 7 atdiametrically opposite points is offset upwardly to form downwardlyopening grooves 10, having upper wall portions 11, to which is fixedlysupported rubber suction cups 12 and with the suction cups beingdisposed to extend slightly below the flange 7. Only two suction cupshave been indicated, since they do nothing more than to support the basemember and associated elements from shifting upon a usually glazedsurface and it will be apparent, that when the device is presseddownwardly to engage the glazed surface, the suction cups will besubstantially depressed into the grooves 10, having only sufficientfrictional contact with the glazed surface. The base 5, including thebase members 8 are preferably molded or die-formed from a suitableplastic. I

Adapted to override the base 5 concentric thereto is a food and drinkholder, illustrated as a whole by the numeral 13. v This holder 13 islikewise molded or otherwise formed of plastic. The holder 13 comprisesa circumferential flat flange 14 that has its marginal portion groovedupon its undersurface at 15 for overriding engagement with the severallugs 9 of the base. The lugs 9 thus, offer little resistance to the freeturning of the member 13. The flange 14 intermediate its width isprovided with equidistantly spaced slots 16, constituting gear teeth 17throughout the circumference of the flange. The member 13 is providedwith relatively large and equidistantly spaced recesses 18 and theserecesses are separated by relatively wide ribs 19. The ribs 19 areprovided with equidistantly spaced apart cylindrical recesses 20 for thereception of cylindrical containers 21, illus trated in dotted linesinFigure 3. Each of the recesses 18 and 20 are closed at their bottomsby a substantially continuous web 22. The axial center of the member 13is molded in the form of a hub portion 23 that is suitably braced byintegral webbing 24. The hub 23 is extended upwardly to form anupstanding cylindrical and preferably ornamented housing 25, having aclosure cap 26 and a hand knob 27. The member 13, including the flange14, the webbing forming the receptacles 18 and ribs 19 and the housing25 are all molded integrally from plastic, while the cap 26 and the knob27 are separately formed and assembled as shown. The cap 26 is providedwith a circumferential undercut groove 28 that engages the uppermarginal edge of the housing 25 in a snug manner. The cap 26, ifdesired, may be cemented to the upper end of the housing 25. The webbingforming the recesses 18 and the flange 14 are suitably braced atequidistantly spaced points throughout the circumference of the device,by diagonal and preferably integral braces 29. Means are provided tohold the receptacle 13 in its operative position with respect to thebase 5, comprising preferably plastic brackets 30, that are cemented orotherwise connected with the outer surface of the wall 6 throughout thecircumference of the device and with each of the brackets being providedwith an overlying lip portion 31, that extends across the flange 14 forits major width and with the lips 31 having a slight clearance with theflange 14 for freedom of operation of the member 13, while holding themember 13 against disengagement with the base. Means are provided tomechanically rotate the member 13 with respect to the base 5, comprisinga preferably plastic gear 32, having an integral shaft 33, that isjournaled in a plastic bearing 34. The journal 34 is fixedly connectedto the wall 6, by downwardly extending support 35 and with the supportbeing preferably cemented to the wall 6. The shaft 33 extends beyond thejournal 34 and its end portion is formed square, as shown at 36 for thereception of a hand crank 37, having a square socket 38, for engagementwith the shaft. The journal 34 is provided with a semi-cylindricalflange 39, to which is engaged a cover 40. The flange 39 is providedwith a rib 41, that engages a groove 42 formed Within the normally openend of the cover 40. The opposite side of the cover 40 is closed by aweb 43. The cover extends downwardly to substantially cover the gear 32and with the cover having a slight clearance with respect to the flange14. The cover may be cemented or otherwise connected to the rib 41, forholding the same withrespect to the base. "'gaged with the journal 34and then, with the gear engaged within the teeth 17, the bracket 35 iscemented imposition, rigidly supporting the gear and its shaft inoperative relationship to thefiange14. The cover 40 'is'engaged with theflange 41 and preferably cemented in position. the square portion 36 andthe shaft 33, The cap assem- 'tainers engaged within the cylindricalrecesses 20. cylindrical containers 21 may be drinking containers,

combinations.

and has no parts that will corrode or rust. 'parts'as shown, have beendesigned to facilitate their against displacernent. The cover 40 alsoprevents food particles from entering between the teeth of the'gear 32which incidentally, might conceivably interfere with the free engagementof the teeth with the slots 16. The

spacing of the teeth upon the gear 32 are in accordance position, thefood holder 13 is placed in overlying coni centric relation to the base5 and with the lugs 9 engaging the groove 15, accurately positioning thefood holder 13 with respect to the base. The several brackets 30 arethenfixedly engaged with the wall 6, overlying the flange 14 to preventdisplacement of the food'holder The gear has its shaften- The crank 37is of'courseengaged wit-h bly 26 is then engaged with the upper edge ofthe housing 25 and the parts in such an assembled relation is now readyfor operation. Desirable food elementsmay then be disposed in the largerecesses 18 and cylindrical con- The suchbeing somewhat similar to thesmall holders for cream or the like and when used as milk holders forinstance, encourages a child to drink milk, since they can easily holdthe small containers, while objecting to drinking milk from aconventional tumbler. However, the

"recesses20 may be employed to hold' small jars of jelly, preserves orthe like, when the device is being used for adult purposes. The deviceis then disposed upon a table or other flat surface and bodily shifteddownward to cause the suction cups 12 to spread and create sufii presentany desired recesses and its supported food articles to a point forconvenient reach by either the child ora group of adults.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, that a very novel form of foodserving device has been provided.

The major structure is entirely formed from plastic in an economicmanner and may embody various color The housing 25 may be ornamented inany desirable manner. The structure is easily cleaned All of theindividual molding. The gear teeth 17, as defined by the slots 16 areonly partially shown upon the flange 14; but it will be apparent thatthey extend entirelyaround "the flange so that the device can be rotateda full 360 degrees.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A food and drinkidispenser embodying in combination a ring-likeplastic base having an upstanding side wall and a lower inwardlydirected flange, a plastic food and drink receptacle of circular formthat is supported upon the side wall of the base concentric thereto,upstanding lugs formed upon the upper marginal edge of the sidewall, thereceptacle having a circumferential flange that overlies the side walland with the last named flange being circumferentially grooved upon itsunderside to receive the lugs of the side wall, the fiange of thereceptacle being provided with a plurality of radial slots and wherebytoform a gear rack, a plastic 'gear and a plastic journal carried by thesidewall and with the gear having meshing engagement with therack, aplastic crank for rotating the gear and whereby to rotate the receptacleupon the lugs, p'la's tic brackets carried bythe side wall and thatoverlie the flange of the 'rece'ptacle for maintaining the receptacle inriding engagement with the lugs, the receptacle beingprovided with apluralityof relatively large cavities for'food articles and a pluralityof relatively small cylindrical cavities for supporting the ribs, theseveral cavities having fiat bottoms that are in the same horizontalplane, thereceptacle having an integral upstanding cylindrical housingand a closure cap for the upper end of the housing.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the flange of the baseand the side wall are provided with equidistantly spaced integralbraces, the flange of "the receptacle and the walls of the cavitiesbeing provided with a plurality of integral braces, the said gear havinga shaft thatis rotatable in the journal and a cover supported on thejournal to fullyoverlie the gear.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the flange of the base atdiametrically opposite points is provided with downwardly facing suctioncups.

References Cited inthe file of this patent

